"O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth."
Psalms 96:9
Our verse for today was borrowed by the psalmist from the book of 1 Chronicles.
“Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved,” (1 Chronicles 16:29-30).
“O worship the LORD.”
We need to be reminded of who we worship. It isn’t any person on earth, no one can take the place of the LORD. We do not worship things, our possessions are a meager substitute for the living God. And we do not worship ourselves, we are not nor will we ever be God! The LORD is the one we worship and adore. All glory is due to Him.
“In the beauty of holiness:”
We also need to be reminded of “how” to worship, “in the beauty of holiness.”
“A Psalm of David. Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength. Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness,” (Psalm 29:1-2).
This phrase, “in the beauty of holiness” is debated among the commentators. Some say that it has to do with the beauty of the Old Testament priest’s garments. After all, these robes were made for “beauty and glory,” (Exodus 28:2, 40). Other writers said that “the beauty of holiness” referred back to the Temple in Jerusalem which was a building of great beauty and splendor. But Barnes seemed to say it best in his comments on Psalm 29:2.
“But the more probable interpretation is that which refers it to the state of the heart – the ‘internal’ ornament – with which we should approach God – to a holy and pure state of mind – that beauty or appropriateness of the soul which consists in holiness or purity,” (Barnes).
Believer, as you go to worship the LORD, what is the state of your soul? A thing of beauty? Or is there worldly clutter and junk that first needs to be cleaned out, so that you can effectively worship God?
“Fear before him,”
“The word rendered ‘fear’ means properly to writhe, to twist, to be in pain; and then, to tremble, to quake, to be afraid,” (Barnes).
The idea of “trembling” before God’s presence out of holy reverence for Him fits the meaning well here.
He inspires awe in us, He is our God! Be careful about how you use His name when you talk. He isn’t “the man upstairs,” or your “best bud.” He is God. He is to be given the highest respect.
“All the earth.”
God’s Word calls for all of God’s creatures who inhabit His earth to fear and worship Him. Not everyone gets it. In fact, most people do not! Our job is to make Him famous wherever we go. We are His people, His Church, His witnesses.
O tell of his might and sing of his grace,
whose robe is the light, whose canopy space.
His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form,
and dark is his path on the wings of the storm.
1. Albert Barnes, Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, the electronic version in eSword.
2. Barnes, ibid.
3. “O Worship the King,” by Robert Grant (1833). The second stanza. Tune Lyons. Copyright status, Public Domain. Italics mine.